Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Arizona Canal Multi-Use Path Project Starting in Scottsdale

So it begins...

During the Canal Convergence ride, I learned that this path improvement project would be starting soon, and that it would include some public art. By reading the text from the City Council meeting where the winning bid was selected, I learned some more (here quoted in detail, since I find that government web sites often have a document persistence of about six weeks):

"This project is part of the designated 11-mile Papago Trail system that follows the Arizona Canal along the Indian School Road alignment in Scottsdale and connects with the neighboring communities of Tempe and Phoenix. The portion of the Crosscut Canal from McDowell Road to Thomas Road was improved in 2007 and in 2010 the Crosscut Canal muitiuse path was completed to Indian School Road. This project connects numerous neighborhoods within the southern portion of Scottsdale and provides an improved linkage to adjacent communities. The proposed construction along this section of the Arizona Canal will include paved walkways, multi-use paths, landscaping, public art and area lighting. The scope also includes improved access and landscaping at Lafayette Park north of the Arizona Canal at 68th Street and minor pedestrian improvements at 64th Street and Thomas Road and 64th Street and Osborn Road."*

In other words, it will link up the Crosscut path with this Goldwater Tunnel. Which will be a good thing. Not sure how long it's going to take to complete. City of Scottsdale site currently says "Fall 2015" which seems a bit padded to me. The OSG Project Management Office is gathering more data before weighing in with a well-informed BBECD (bike blogger estimated completion date). The OSG Art Critic Lab (OSGACL) is eagerly looking for more information regarding the public art elements, either online, or sketches, or shapes scratched in the dirt. Stay tuned.

OSGACL determined this sign was run over by a truck, as a form of conceptual art, a combined urge for striving linked with the blue of the sky and a potent urging away from attachment, calling into question the whole notion of "progress"

*While copying and pasting this text, which included embedded CR/LF characters, it occurred to me after all these years that if you want to get rid of embedded CR/LF so that you can let the lines wrap dynamically, and you aren't using vi in which case it's a quick single command away, you start at the bottom and delete going up to avoid the additional END key press after each line. A small thing, perhaps, but a joy nonetheless. Until that day when I get a smarter copy-paste.

4 comments:

Great news that work on this project is starting. Of course, when one wish is fulfilled it leads to more wishes. Mine are the following:

1) For Phoenix to upgrade its segment of the canal path from 24th Street to 60th Street so that eventually there is a continuous smooth and safe bike route along the canal all the way from Peoria to the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community.

2) For Scottsdale to apply the same spirit of regional connectivity and cooperation evident in the verbiage you have quoted to public transit by agreeing to consider a light rail route within its borders.

1) Tunnel under 32nd, Camelback, 44th Streets would be included in the wish list.

2) It's rather unfortunate that all the work that was done on Scottsdale Road in the recent past did not include an alignment for light rail. Just as Phoenix saw the clear logic of Central Avenue, it's a challenge to offer an alternative candidate for light rail other than Scottsdale Road.

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Thriving on two wheels

I commute by bicycle in Phoenix, Arizona, a place suited for riding bicycles of all types, with weather, mountains, roads, canals, and paths to keep me forever spinning. My favorite bike tools are an open mind, anger control, curiosity, compassion, common ground, and the search for knowledge. With coffee.

Dedicated to the Lost and Bold

Arizona 3 foot law ARS §28-735. Overtaking bicycles; civil penalties A. When overtaking and passing a bicycle proceeding in the same direction, a person driving a motor vehicle shall exercise due care by leaving a safe distance between the motor vehicle and the bicycle of not less than three feet until the motor vehicle is safely past the overtaken bicycle. B. If a person violates this section and the violation results in a collision causing: 1. Serious physical injury as defined in section 13-105 to another person, the violater is subject to a civil penalty of up to five hundred dollars. 2. Death to another person, the violater is subject to a civil penalty of up to one thousand dollars. C. Subsection B of this section does not apply to a bicyclist who is injured in a vehicular traffic lane when a designated bicycle lane or path is present and passable